The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-12
A STREET OF MEDINA STONE.
The City's Principal Business Thor
oughfare To Be Greatly Improved.
Property-0wners Decide to Pave Wash
ington Street with Medina Stone from
Delaware to Mississippi Street.

There was a meeting of Washington street
property-owners at the rooms of the Board Of
Trade, last evening, to hear the report of the
committee appointed to investigate the differ
ent kinds of paving material used in surround
ing cities. The report of this committee,
Messrs. Bowen. Baldwin and Bradshaw, has al
ready been published with their recommended
ton favoring Medina stone. The meeting was
composed almost wholly of owners Of property
on Washington street. the four squares
tending from Tennessee to Delaware street
John c New was chosen chairman and Frank
T. Holiday secretary.
Mr. Bowen. who was asked to state the reIa-
tive cost of the different kinds of material that
had been looked at by the COMMITTEE said: THE
cost per square yard of cedar block is $1.60 OF
bricks about sl75, of Medina stone So so to
So 90 THIS would make the cost per linea foot
on each side for ceGar block So, for bricks ST 90
and for Medina stcne about Sl2. 80. In coiapar-
ing the economy in the use of the different ma
terias. az cedar blocks have to be renewedevery
ten years, She annual cost per square yard is l6
cents; bricks last twenty years. making annual
cost per square yard s. cents, and Medina stone
lasts fifty years making the cost annually per
square yard Z. 8 cents" AS to Medina stone, Mr..
Bowen said that laid down at Buffalo fifty years
ago was still good, and how many years more it
may last is unknown. Medina stone is not only
at the lowest cost per annun1, but is permanent
pavement and will not require mending or re-
| newal All things considered he held the Medina
stone to be the most economical pavement that
could be put down. That it is the best, there
| can be no doubt Euclid avenue, Cleveland six
seven miles in length, is so paved and is said
oy gentleman of this city. who rode orer it
| twice day or more for several days, to be the
| best road he ever went over. 1t does not get
smooth like granite become slippery. and is
| not bad for the horses feet. The Medina stone,
| recommended by the committee is frst-class
dressed stone, and the upper surface will be like
a smooth floor. the stone to be laid in concrete
and have asphalt poured over it to fill up the in
| terstices.
| Peter Bryce said he had discovered that it
cost from S., 200 to s.. 500 year to keep Wash
| ington street. powdered street, in repair.
Joseph Becker remarked that powders were
not wanted that where they fill up one hole they
| make another
Mr.. Bowen said the Medina stone pavement
would cost about $l2, 500 square, $50, 900 for
| the four squares, from Tennessee to Delaware
street. Buffalo has l20 miles of Medina stone
| and Cleveland sixty miles Louisville has put
| down seven miles Of granite and Medina stone
| to try both OF them. A question was asked
| to the noise OF the Medina pavement to which
| Mr. Bowen and Mr.. Baldwin replied that il was
as free from NOISE as If a vehicle was rolling over
| floor, being near noiseless as any smooth
stone could be.
Mir. New thought that four squares of this
| pavement was too short sample and that it
| should be made longer MIR. Baldwin thought
| that the State-house and COURT house SQUARE
should be included. Mr.. New suggested that il
ought to be made long enough not to look like
| patched quilt sample in the middle of the city.
Mr.. Maott moved that the report be received
| and adopted, and that the Council be requested
to prepare ordinances to carry out the plan of
improving the street as proposed. This was
finally amended by motion by j. G. Yohn that
| the Improvement be from the east line of Mis-
| sissippi street to the west line Of Delaware
street, the Street Railway Company to attend to
| the improvement SO far its tracks con-
| cerned, and two feet each side. Mr.. Malott
accepted the amendment which passed with but
three dissenting votes, those persons being of
I opinion that the improvement should go as far
| east as Alabama street. There were others who
were of opinion that the Medina stone pavement
should extend along the State-house front Mr..
| Baldwin was of the opinion that the Medina
stone improvement would grow-that after the
five squares were laid adjoining property owners
| would want it.
Messrs S. T. Bowen, j. II. Baldwin, James
Bradshaw John S. Spann and V. T. Malott were
| chosen a committee to present the matter to the
City Council and the meeting adjourned.